By Lucy Caulkett-
The UK government’s dealings with the devolved nations has been described by former ministers as “demoralising”, “depressing” and devoid of understanding of issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Nine former ministers in governments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast have spoken out about their tussles and frustrations with Westminster in interviews with the Institute for Government.
Michael Russell, Scotland’s former cabinet secretary for the constitution, Europe and external affairs, described how ministers in Wales and Northern Ireland used to complain about interference by one senior Conservative minister who would be “charming to your face” but would “then go out and brief savagely” against them
Certain powers including matters relating to the economy, health and justice, have been devolved to the three nations since 1998, but the Scottish National party’s desire for another independence referendum in Scotland and the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland remain significant fault lines in the union.
Michael Russell,said tensions between London and the devolved nations had got worse during Boris Johnson’s reign.
“I think the difference between the May and Johnson administrations is that there was a recognition under [Theresa] May, no matter how limited and grudging, of the legitimate interests of the devolved governments and their rights, whereas there was nothing but contempt for devolution from the Johnson government, expressed at every level even by the territorial secretaries of state,” he said.
Freeman, twice a minister in Holyrood, said the lack of interest in devolved government was not confined to the Conservative party.
“It was my experience with Labour as well – [the UK government] do not understand devolution … and they have paid no attention to it,” she said. Her comments imply that ministers in Parliament have no real understanding of devolution and ithe Uk government’s duty to competently address issues connected to it.
Sinn Féin’s Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said working with the UK government was “demoralising, depressing” and “wasteful of my time”, while Stephen Farry, Alliance party MP for North Down and former Stormont employment minister, complained that devolved government in Belfast was like a “transactional clearing house” with Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist party carving up the agenda.
“There wasn’t really much sense of ‘here’s a vision of where we want to take Northern Ireland’,” he told the IfG.
The complaint calls for a review of how the government relates to devolved nations, and may be one for the next prime minister to deal with.
The DUP is boycotting Stormont over Brexit but Farry says when he was in devolved government 10 years ago, there was “almost collegiality” between the party and its arch rival, Sinn Féin